Washing-machine



HAMILTON E. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 29,830, dated August 28, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAMILTON E. SMITH, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in IVashing-Uachines; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference markedthereon.

My improved washing machine consists of a vibrating box for containingthe water and clothes, the center of vibration of the said box beingbelow its center of gravity and the box being arrested at each vibrationby springs, as fully described hereafter, so that the repeated tiltingof the box from one side to the other, and the sudden arresting of thesame may produce that general agitation of the water and impetuous jerkson the clothes by which the latter are rapidly deprived of all theirimpurities.

In order to enable others to make and use my invention I will nowproceed to describe its construction and operation.

On reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of thisspecification, Figure l, is an end view of my improved washing machine,Fig. 2, a side view, and Fig. 3, a transversesection.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A and A are the two frames or standards constructed in the mannerillustrated in the drawing, or in any other form which may be found mostconvenient, and connected together by any suitable number of cross beamsa.

In the opposite frames turn the trunnions I) Z) one of which is securedto one end and the other to the opposite end of the box B, the latterbeing ofthe oblong form represented in the drawing and having an openingat the top provided with the cover To each frame are secured two springsZ and d inclined in contrary `directions and so situated that a pin c onthe end of the box shall strike against the spring Z when the box istilted over in one direction, the pin c striking against the spring dwhen the box is tilted in the contrary direction. The opposite end ofthe box is provided with similar pins e and c and the opposite frame A Iwith similar springs l and d. By means of a handle F secured to one endof the box the latter may be readily tilted backward.

It will be observed that the trunnions o 7) are situated at a pointnearer to the bottom than to the top of the box, or in other words,below the center of gravity of the latter, the object of thisarrangement will be rendered apparent hereafter.

After water and clothes sufficient to about half fill the box, have beendeposited in the latter and the lid c properly secured, the machine isoperated by laying hold of the handle F, and tilted laterally from sideto side so as to occupy alternately the two positions shown in black andred lines, Fig. l, an operation easy to perform for the reason that allthe force necessary is that required for raising` the box from aninclined to a horizontal position from which it will readily fall by itsown weight and that of its contents to the reversed inclined position,on account of the trunnions being placed below the center of gravity ofthe box.

It will be observed that by the simple tilting of the box from oneposition to the other without any sudden arrest of its movement theclothes would have a tendency to fall in a comparatively undisturbedmass from one side to the other, and consequently that the cleansingprocess would be somewhat tedious. As the box however turns to either ofthe positions shown in Fig. 1, it acquires by its contents and peculiarposition of the trunnions, a momentum which is suddenly arrested by thepins on the opposite ends of the box coming in contact With the springson the opposite frames A and A, consequently a sudden recoil and equallysudden dispersion and agitation of the water and a sudden jerking of theclothes takes place. The result of the repeated tilting and arresting ofthe box is, in fact, a reiterated impetus imparted to the water and thatgeneral disturbance of the contents and such active and impetuous jerksof the same which tend to the rapid attainment of the desired object.The springs (Z and d in addition to the assistance they afford inproducing this action on the contents of the box serve to commence thereversal of the same from one inclined position to the other thusdiminishing the exert-ion required in operating the machine.

For coarse fabrics a weighted roller as said box is arrested by its pinsor projections shown in dotted lines Fig. 3, may be used to e and estriking against the springs d and advantage. d or their equivalents asand for the purpose I do not desire to claim broadly the eml herein setforth. 15 5 ployment of a vibrating box for washing In testimonywhereof, I have signed my clothes, but name to this specification, inthe presence of I claim as my invention and desire to setwo subscribingwitnesses. cure by Letters Patentv H. E. SMITH.

The vibrating boX B having its center of Witnesses: 10 vibrationsituated below its center of gravity HENRY I-IowsoN,

as described, when the momentum of the CHAs. HowsoN.

